


Learning To Love

by The_Wolf_Inside



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: A Bit Manupilative Dumbledore, Animal Attack, Conflicted Remus Lupin, Consequences, Difficult Decisions, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Guardian Remus Lupin, Guardian-Ward Relationship, Guilty Remus Lupin, Hurt Remus Lupin, Hurt/Comfort, Loss of Control, Lots of conflict, Manipulative Dumbledore, On the Run, Original Character(s), Other, Poor Remus, Problems, Protective Remus Lupin, Struggling, The Burrow, Werewolf Remus Lupin, Werewolves, sticky situation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-06
Updated: 2016-02-06
Packaged: 2018-05-18 16:37:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5935366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Wolf_Inside/pseuds/The_Wolf_Inside
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What will happen when Remus Lupin's worst fear may become a reality? Will he be able to live with himself? Will his few remaining friends shun him? Will anyone come to his aid? Or will he have to learn a lesson all on his own?<br/>- Slightly AU</p>
            </blockquote>





	Learning To Love

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, all. For any of you wondering, I have this same fic up on FF.net  
> It is the same story with very minor altercations.

Remus Lupin knew that he didn’t have much time until nightfall and knew very well that he shouldn’t have been have been out when it was so close to the last night of the full moon. He saw the last few rays of sun starting to fade behind the trees and he quickened his pace. He must get back and drink his potion before the moon came out.

“Perhaps I'll cut through this forest...” Lupin thought. After all, he'd been in the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts; this Muggle forest couldn’t possibly be as dangerous. Lupin had just begun to walk through the first bunch of trees when he started to have doubts. What if he didn’t get back in time? What if he couldn’t drink his potion before the Change? No, he couldn’t afford to think like that. He put such thoughts out of his mind; nonetheless, he walked even more quickly. What time was it? How much farther had he to go? The sun was fully set by now. Nearly a quarter of an hour had gone by since he started through the forest.

The beginnings of panic started to overcome him. Luckily there were no strangers milling about the forest. He shuddered to think what would happen if he couldn’t make it home before the Change and he happened to come across someone. Lupin walked quickly and quietly as it was now fully dark out and he didn’t know how much longer he had until the moon came out. Over half an hour had passed now and it was then that Lupin's pace faltered. He thought he'd glimpsed the figure of a person. Perhaps he was just imagining things in his hurry to get home. He continued on, occasionally looking from side to side. As he walked, he kept his eyes trained on the ground so he wouldn’t accidentally glimpse the sky. Soon, Lupin started to become angry at anything that slowed him down even in the slightest. He lashed out several times at stray branches that snagged on his robes. He continued to walk at a brisk pace as though trying to find out how fast he could walk without actually running. Just as Lupin began to think that he must be nearing the end of the forest, he noticed that the treetops were considerably thinner. He glimpsed the darkness of the sky and quickly looked back at the ground. No less than five minutes later Lupin was plunged into darkness. Ignoring what this meant, he reached for his wand.

“Lumos.” He muttered and lit a path of light ahead of him. He began to scold himself inwardly. What was he thinking? Going out on a full moon night when it was so close to nightfall, especially when he knew he hadn’t at least taken his potion. Still muttering angrily at himself, he didn’t notice the moon's appearance. Suddenly Lupin stopped dead. No, this time he was sure he hadn’t imagined it. Out of the corner of his eye he thought he saw the outline of a person. 

When he turned to look at it, it was no longer there. It vanished so quickly...perhaps he had imagined it. Yet he was sure for an instant that he had seen someone.

“Hello?” he called out, “Is anyone there?” When no one answered, he continued on willing himself to not look up at the sky. He could just imagine Tonk's reaction when he suddenly burst through the door scrambling for his potion. Lupin smiled in the semi-darkness as he thought of his flat mate. Mad as she would be, he would be glad when he saw her. As he continued on, he was suddenly bathed in silvery light and he knew it was too late. He looked up at the moon and just as he thought that this couldn’t get any worse, he saw the figure of someone hidden in the shadows. “No...” he breathed.

***  
It was several minutes after he woke up that Lupin realized what happened. It was only when he heard labored breathing right next to him did he look around. What he saw shocked him so badly that he couldn’t react for a moment. There, lying in the dried leaves was a little girl who, at first glance, seemed to be covered in a dark liquid that looked suspiciously like –   
“Blood.” Lupin whispered, “Oh, no...no, no.” He turned the girl gently onto her back. There were three slashes across her face and she was bleeding, but where most of it seemed to be coming fro was the girl's neck. Lupin looked at it and saw, right where her neck and shoulder met, what he had been dreading. The unmistakable shape of a large bite mark. He seized fistfuls of his hair and walked around her to get a better look.

“No...I can't believe it.” he muttered. She was losing blood fast, but she was still alive! Maybe he could help her. She wasn't about to get landed with this curse if he could help it. He took out his wand and wrapped her shoulder as best as he could. He prepared himself to pick her up and then thought she was surprisingly light. At a closer inspection of her thin frame, Lupin thought it was fairly stupid of him to think she was going to be heavy. Lupin held her tightly and Disapparated. He reappeared at the entrance to the grounds of Hogwarts.

With a wave of his wand he conjured up a broomstick, mounted it, and after making sure that she was secure, he took off towards the castle. Lupin had no idea ow he managed to get into the castle, find the entrance to the Headmaster's office, and end up in front of the office door. It all seemed to go by in no time at all. Lupin carefully held the girl with one arm and knocked hurriedly.

“Come in.” A voice answered. The door opened to reveal none other than Albus Dumbledore. 

“Remus, what a pleasant surprise –” Lupin had just begun to think that this was about as opposite of a pleasant surprise as you could get, when Dumbledore's words cut off as his eyes fell on the girl. “What's happened, Remus?” He looked at the older man imploringly.

“Please...I need your help.” he said. Dumbledore dropped his gaze.

“You've bitten this child.” He said softly. His words were not harsh, but Lupin could hear the disappointment in them. 

“Please help me. I – I don’t want her to be like me...” he said. Lupin stared at the other man intently, awaiting an answer. Dumbledore looked up quickly.

“How long ago was she bitten?” Lupin shrugged at the inquiry. 

“It could have been minutes; it could have been an hour! Does it really matter? Just help her, she's dying!” The older man stood up quickly and examined her briefly. He then conjured a cot with his wand.

“You may set her down here, Remus.” He said. Lupin walked over and carefully set her down on the cotton sheets which quickly became stained by her blood.

At that very moment, the door to the Headmaster's office flew open revealing Severus Snape. Snape's lip curled unpleasantly at the sight of Lupin, but Dumbledore stepped forward.

“Severus,” he said with a hint of a warning in his voice, “how fortunate that you’ve arrived. I need you to make a potion for this girl and be quick about it.” Snape looked livid.

“But Headmaster, I wished to express –” he began, but Dumbledore cut him off.

“Now, Severus.” With a nasty look at Lupin, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the room. Dumbledore walked back to the girl and examined her carefully. 

“You bit her on the neck?” It was a simple question, but Lupin didn’t know why it made him feel so ashamed. He simply nodded silently. Dumbledore told him to tell him the story of how it happened while he checked her over. Lupin then told him how he went into town and how it had been very close to nightfall. He was just getting round to the part where he thought he might have seen someone when he was interrupted by Snape as he walked in with a smoking goblet. Lupin stood quickly, not quite sure what to do. Dumbledore came over as well and took the goblet from Snape.

“Thank you, Severus. That will be all.” He said. 

“But Headmaster –” Snape tried again. 

“That will be all.” Dumbledore said firmly. Snape scowled and once again swept from the room. Lupin simply stood there, unsure.

“How – how do we give it to her?” he asked uncertainly.

“I think you should try and give it to her.” Dumbledore said, holding out the goblet.

“Me?” Lupin asked incredulously, “No, no. I’ve caused enough damage!” The older man simply stared at him and he sighed in defeat. He took the smoking goblet and walked over to the girl. He cringed when he saw how utterly covered in blood she was. Her shirt was so drenched in it, he couldn't even tell what colour it was. And he could see that underneath the blood, she was as pale as death. He felt a strong wave of emotion.

He, Lupin, had done this to this innocent girl. He looked back at Dumbledore who only nodded quickly. Lupin gently took one of the girl's hands and immediately flinched at how cold it was. Her eyes fluttered weakly and she stared at him without actually seeing him.

“Listen you're – you’re hurt. You need to drink this...to get better.” He said, feeling as though he might as well have told the cot for all the good it did. He looked at Dumbledore for assistance.

“Could you hold her up for me?” he asked. The other man nodded and raised her into a sitting position with a firm hand. She suddenly seemed a bit more aware of her surroundings. “Here, drink this.” He said, “Quickly now…” Her eyes fell on the goblet and she slowly raised her hand to put if over Lupin's who once again flinched at the coldness of it. She slowly raised it to her lips with his help, but stopped before she could drink any. She looked at him briefly and he realized that he couldn’t bear to look her in the eye. 

“Come now,” he said, raising the goblet to her lips again, “Drink...go on. There we go.” After drinking half of the goblet, she pulled away.

“I know it's awful, but you have to finish it if you want to get better.” Lupin told her imploringly, hoping that she understood. She looked as if she were about to faint. Her eyes rested on Dumbledore and he spoke softly.

“Go on, child. You must drink it.” She slowly raised the goblet once more and drank the last of the potion. The moment she finished the last drop, she fell back on to the cot. Dumbledore examined her carefully, checking her wounds, her pulse and her eyes. Lupin merely watched apprehensively. 

“Did – did it work?” he asked.

“She is not healing as she should be.” Dumbledore said as he put her hand down. “And she is as cold as ice.” Lupin, who had collapsed into a chair, let the goblet fall with a clatter.

“So she's...” He began, but the older man cut him off.

“I am not quite sure. I am afraid there is a good chance...she might not survive at all.” Lupin looked up quickly.

“And if she does? Will she be like...” He trailed off, too afraid to say the words. Dumbledore sat behind his desk.

“I’m afraid there is no way to know for sure,” He said. Lupin looked over at the girl sadly. 

“So what do we do?” He asked quietly.

“I think you should take her with you -” Dumbledore began.

“What?!” Lupin interrupted.

“- until the next full moon.” Dumbledore continued as though Lupin hadn’t said anything. “If nothing happens, we can modify her memory and take her home. If she transforms, well...we'll figure it out from there.” Lupin stared at the older wizard, incredulous. 

“Where am I supposed to take her? I'm just staying on Tonk's sofa right now!” He said. Dumbledore gave a small smile. 

“I’m sure Molly and Arthur Weasley would be more than willing to let you stay if you explain the circumstances.”

“What am I supposed to say? That I was an idiot and a fool -” he began but Dumbledore stood up quite suddenly. “Remus! You are not an idiot or a fool! And I doubt anyone at The Burrow will accuse you as such. Now kindly refrain form insulting yourself in such manners, while in my presence, from now on.” Dumbledore had spoken with such power that all Lupin could do was sit and stare.

“I – I'm sorry -” he stuttered, but Lupin couldn’t finish for Dumbledore held up a hand.

“Do not apologize to me. Apologize to yourself. You were always rather hard on yourself, but I would've never thought I'd live to see the day when you would go so far as to cal yourself an idiot.” Dumbledore stared at Lupin, who was staring at the edge of the desk, head slightly hung.

“You. Are not. An idiot, Remus.” Dumbledore repeated slowly, “Do you understand?” Lupin only nodded, feeling as though he were merely a student being told off. He was amazed that Dumbledore could still make him feel like that. His thoughts were interrupted when the girl coughed and he turned around just in time to see a bit of blood coming out of her mouth. Lupin turned away; how could he have done something so horrible? 

“Perhaps we should call Poppy, seeing that the potion is not working properly.” The older wizard said, to which Lupin nodded quickly.

“As long as she doesn't tell anyone,” he said, looking at his former Headmaster, hoping he would understand.

“Of course, of course,” said Dumbledore, as he got up and walked towards the door. Lupin watched silently as the it closed behind him. He got up, walked over to the girl's side and took one of her hands.

“Please let it work. She deserves a normal life.” He looked at her and remembered how painful it had been when he was attacked as a boy. Suddenly, the girl stiffened ad let out a strangled sort of yell. Lupin jumped and looked around until he remembered that he was alone. She had started to shake uncontrollably and he knew that for some reason she was experiencing great pain.

“What is it? What's wrong?!” He said frantically. She had started yelling again and was trembling more violently than ever. Lupin started to panic. Where had Dumbledore gone? He couldn’t possibly be coming back yet. He sprang to his feet and went over to the door.

“Albus!” He called out. However, the word had barely left him, when the girl's yells stopped. He turned and saw that she was no longer shaking, though her breathing was slightly laboured. He approached her cautiously.

“Are you alright?” He asked quietly. Then the girl sat bolt upright so suddenly that Lupin jumped backward in shock. At that very moment, Dumbledore walked in closely followed by Madame Pomfrey. The girl was awake...


End file.
